No break clause in Southgate's England contract

New England manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed that there is no break clause in his four-year contract.

Southgate took over as Three Lions boss on an interim basis in September following Sam Allardyce's dismissal after he was caught up in a newspaper sting regarding corruption in football.

The Football Association confirmed Southgate's full-time appointment on Wednesday in a deal lasting until 2020.

With England's performances at the last two major tournaments falling well below the expected standard, Southgate was quizzed on if there is an agreement to end his deal after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

But Southgate told a news conference: "There's no break clause, I think it's important [to say] I want to be successful in this role and I'm taking over at a time when the last two tournaments were not as successful as we'd have liked.

"There is big potential. We have to qualify for Russia first - we have about 70 days together to prepare the team and get to the level we want to get to. It's important to look at what we are trying to do over the longer term.

"We have a team, I think, over the next four years that will develop a lot. It's not just short-term results, but long-term with the senior team and junior teams below."

The FA's chief executive Martin Glenn stated there was no break clause in Southgate's contract to allow the 46-year-old time to nurture a burgeoning squad.

"He is a tough negotiator but we had an alignment of interest," he added. "It wasn't something we debated. I wanted to offer a four-year contract.

"We have a young squad, we need time to see that squad developed and nurtured. I think we'll do well in Russia, but in a hypothetical instance if we don't then there's a longer-term project, it's important to have a contract that reflected that."

On his aims as England manager, Southgate said: "In the most simple terms I want an England team that excites the public, that the supporters like watching and are proud of.

"Our aim is to go beyond what we have done in the last couple of tournaments. I have got experience in that as a player and coach in tournament football."